Automatic weigher for cattle feed and the like



ec 19, 1961 l.. E. MEYER 3,013,622

AUTOMATIC WEIGHER FOR CATTLE FEED AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 20, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet l lll IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII Il IIIIIIIIiIIIIMLIIIIIIINIW|IIIIIIIIIIIII@IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIfl FIG o2 INVENTOR Lester E. Meyer ATTORNEY Dec. 19, 1961 L. E. MEYER 3,013,622

d Jan. 20, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 l: r l

f l Fles.

' 1 ENTOR Lester E. Meyer 7 wMmW/WMWLMMY Dec. 19, 1961 E. MEYER 3,013,622

3,013,622 Patented Dec. 19, 1961 icc 3,613,622 AUTMA'HC WElGHlER FR CATTLE FEED AND TFE LiKE Lester E. Meyer, Stanwood, iowa Filed Jan. 20, 1960, Ser. No. 3,53) 9 Claims. (Cl. 177-96) The present invention relates to an automatic weigher for cattle feed and the like, and more particularly to such an automatic weigher in which a weight is housed within the weigher, shielded by a dei'lector and readily adjustable from the outside ofthe weigher, and to a weigher in which wheels that are used toclose gravity-opened doors may be readily adjusted.

Automatic weighers for bulk materials having a twocompartment hopper andy a pair of gravity-opened, detent-shut doors are known. These weighers are mounted for oscillatory motion beneath a discharge spout, and the action is such that one compartment of the hopper is iilled, with its discharge door closed, while the other compartment of the hopper is being emptied, with the discharge door thereof in an open position. While such weighers have proven highly useful and have gained wide acceptance, particularly for weighing out silage and the like, it has Abeen found that it has not always been easy to change the weight of the material discharged from each of the compartments of the hopper.

In many of the prior art automatic weighers, no means whatsoever Vwas provided to enable the weight discharged to be adjusted, while in other known Weighers, the adjustment of the discharged weight has been accomplished less readily than is desirable.

An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic weigher in which the weight of the material discharged may be readily varied.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an automatic weigher having an internally housed readily adjusted Weight.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic weigher having an internally housed weight, in which the weight will not interfere with the movement of material through the weigher.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of an automatic weigher in which the weight discharged may be controlled by readily varying the position at which the discharge doors open and close.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic weigher in which door closing parts may be readily disassembled for repair.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

ln the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIGURE l is a perspective view of an automatic weigher in accordance with the present invention;

FlGURE 2 is a perspective view, with parts broken away, of a part of the hopper of the weigher of Fi@- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view, taken from below, of the door-closing' wheels and attendent assembly portion of the automatic Weigher of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 4 is an elevational view of the parts sho-wn in FIGURE 3;

FlGUlE 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 5-S of FIGURE 3;

FlGURE 6 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of a weigher in accordance with the present invention. n

FIGURE 7 is an elevational view, on a reduced scale, of the weigher of FIGURE 6.

FlGURE 8 is an exploded detail View of a part of the automatic weigher of FIG. 6.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIG- URE l, there may be seen an automatic weigher generally designated 10. There is provided a framework 1l, made up of vertical members 12 and horizontal members The horizontal members 13 support a hopper 2t), hopper 2i) having stub shafts 21, only one of which is shown in FIGURE 1, which rests upon the horizontal members i3. Thus, the hopper 20 may oscillate about the axis of shaft 2l.

Hopper 20 receives material into an upper receiving opening, not shown, and discharges the material through a pair of bottom discharge openings which are controlled by the doors 22.

To control the weight of material which the hopper 2i) will discharge from each of its compartments, there is provided, as may be seen in FIG. 2, a weight 30. Weight 3@ is in the form of a cylindrical mass that extends from the side 23 of hopper 20 to the side 24 thereof. These sides 23 and 24 also have extending between them a deilector 25 that is formed by the two downwardly divergent plates 25. At their' lower ends, the plates 25 have downwardly converging plates 27, one of which is indicated in phantom lines.

ln the sides 23 and 24 there are provided slots 23 and 29 which extend downwardly from adjacent the apex of the deflector 25.

As is clearly shown in FIG. 2, the yweight 30 is housed within the plates forming the deflector 25, and has a bolt 31 threaded into one end thereof, the other end being substantially identical. Bolt 31 extends through the slots 29, and through an angle plate 32. An adjusting rod 33 extends parallel to slot 29, and through the other part of angle plate 32. The upper end of adjusting rod 33 is secured to the top of side 23, as by the nuts 34. Adjusting rod 33 being threaded, it willbe readily understood that the nuts 34 maybe turned to adjust the position of angie plate 32 upwardly or downwardly, the position of angle plate 32 in turn determining the position of weight 36.

Referring again to FIG. 1, there may be seen a pair of arcuate tracks 36 on the underside of the right-hand door 22. A pair of wheels 37 engage with the tracks 36, the wheels 37 being supported upon an axle 38, whichis in turn carried by the two supporting frame members 4l). Frame members 40 are pivotally secured, about their upper ends, to the shaft 31, and it may be seen that the weigher 1) will comprise four such supporting frame members 4).

Referring now to FIG. 3, there may be seen the aforementioned wheels 37, axle 38 and one of the frame members 40. The position of the frame member 40, and hence of the axle 38, is adjusted by a pair of threaded adjusting rods 41 which are secured at their lower ends to bearing sleeves 42, only one of which may be seen in FIG. 3. The upper ends of the adjusting rods 41 are secured, as by the nuts 43, to an angle iron 44 which extends between two of the vertical members 12 of the frame 11, only one of which vertical members l2 is shown in FIG. 3.

Suitable bracing for the axle 38 and supporting frame member 4@ is provided by a transverseimember 46 extending between the two supporting yframe members 40, transverse member 46 being connected to the two bearing sleeves y42 by the braces 47. A slotted brace member 48 may also be seen in FIG. 3 to be pivotally secured to the vertical member 12.

As may be seen from FIGS. 4 and 5, when the hopper 2li has oscillated from the position shown in FIG. 3, wherein door 22 is open, the wheels 37 will engage the tracks 36 that are attached tothe door 22, and due to the pivotal connection of door 22 to the hopper 20, as

shown at di), the door 22 will swing shut. The axle 38 is secured in the supporting frame members 4G by the nut 5l, shown in FIG. 4, which nut is on the outside of brace member 48. By loosening the nuts 51, the axle 33 may be quickly and readily withdrawn from the sleeves 42, to thereby permit the ready replacement of any parts, as may be necessary from time to time.

To adjust the point at which the doors will be opened and closed during the oscillatory movement of the hopper 2i), it is only necessary to manipulate the adjusting nuts 43 on the rods 41, to thereby displace the axle 33 and the wheels 37 carried thereby. This may be readily accomplished, as will be understood, due to enlarged openings in the angle iron 44. As will be apparent, only simple ,tools are required for effecting the adjustment.

Referring now to FIG. 6, there may be seen a hopper 6G of the two-compartment type having pivoted doors 62. The hopper 60 has a stub shaft 6l carried by the horizontal member 73 of a frame generally designated 7d. The horizontal members 73 are supported by vertical members 72. At their lower ends, the vertical members 72 have secured to them support plates 75. A pair of the support plates '75 carry an axle 78 which in turn has journaled thereon a wheel 77. Wheel 77, as in the case of wheel 37 in the embodiment of IFEGS. l through 5, engages with a track 76 that is `secured on the underside of the door 62.

Referring now to FIG. 7, the hopper 60 may be seen to be inclined, with the left-hand door 62 in the open position and the right-hand door 62 held closed by the engagement of the right-hand wheel 77 with the track 76 of the right-hand door 62. As will be appreciated, the doors 62 will open when their tracks 76 are not in engagement with the wheels A77, during the oscillations of hopper 6G. Therefore, variation of the point at which the wheels 77 release the doors 62 will vary the amount of material in each discharge of the hopper 6d.

To accomplish the weight variation in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, the support plates '75, as may be seen in FIG. S, have a pair of horizontally extending slots 8i and S2, and the lower end oi vertical member 72 has a pair of vertically extending slots S3 and S4. Plate 75 is secured to vertical member 72, in an adjustable manner, by a bolt 85 which passesthrough the slots 82 and 84 and is secured by a nut S6, and by a bolt 87 that passes through the slots 81 and 83 and is secured by a nut 88. As will be understood, the provision of the slots 81, 82, 83 and 84 permit the support plate 7S .to be adjusted, and to thereby adjust the position of the wheel 77 carried by the axle 78. This adjustment will in turn permit variation ofthe position in which the door 62 is released from engagement with the wheel 77 and thusopens.

in operation of the several embodiments of the invention herein disclosed, the position at which the wheels .37 or 77 no longer engage the tracks 36 or 76 may be readily varied, so that the release of the doors 22 and 62 maybe effected at different positions of the hoppers 2.0 and dit. The weight of materialbeingfed into the hopper compartment having the doorthereof closed then causes the hopper or 60 to oscillate, and thereby lserves to .effectively discontinue the .lling of that one hopper; hence, the weight of material in the hopper is thereby controlled.

The adjustment of the weight V3,0, .in the embodiment as shown in FIG. 2shifts the center of gravity of the entire load, thus causing the hopper 20 to oscillate to the opposite position when there Yis more or less kmaterial in the hopper compartment. As will be understood, raising the weight will provide for a greater discharge weight in each of the hopper compartments.

vIt will be obvious to those skilled `in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and therefore the invention is not limitedto what is shown in the drawings and described in the speciiication but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What l claim is:

l. An automatic weigher for silage `comprising a twocompartrnent hopper adapted to be disposed beneath a silage discharge spout, means mounting said hopper for oscillatory movement to enable said compartments to sequentially register with a spout, said hopper including an upper receiving opening and a pair of bottom discharge openings, a pair of doors pivotally secured to said hopper for closing said discharge openings and adapted to normally open and close by gravity as said hopper oscillates, means for alternately engaging said doors as said hopper oscillates yfor retaining said doors in the closed position thereof, a deector in said hopper adjacent said upper opening comprising a pair of downwardiy divergent plates and a pair of downwardly convergent plates at the lower ends of said first mentioned plates, slots in said hopper extending downwardly from adjacent the apex of said dellector, a weight within the space provided by said deflector having ends extending through said slots, a pair of adjusting rod means on the exterior of said hopper connected to said weight and to said hopper for supporting said weight, and means for adjusting the effective length of said rod means, whereby material entering said hopper will be deilected by said deflector away from said weight and whereby said weight may be supported in any of a plurality of positions.

2. An automatic weigher for silage comprising a twocompartment hopper adapted to be disposed beneath a Silage discharge spout, means mounting said hopper for oscillatory movement to enable said compartments to sequentially register with a spout, said hopper including an upper receiving opening and a pair of bottom discharge openings, a pair of doors pivotally secured to said hopper for closing said discharge openings and adapted to normally open and close by gravity as said hopper oscillates, means for alternately engaging said doors as said hopper oscillates for retaining said doors in the closed position thereof, a deiiector in said hopper adjacent said upper opening comprising a pair of downwardly divergent plates, slots in said hopper extending downwardly from adjacent the apex oi' said deilector, a weight beneath said detiector plates having the ends thereot extending through said slots, a pair of adjusting rod means on the exterior of said hopper connected to said weight and to said hopper for supporting said weight, and means for adjusting the effective length of said rod eans, whereby material entering said hopper will be deyiilected by said deflector away from said weight and whereby said weight may be supported in any of a plurality of positions.

3. An automatic weigher for silage comprising a twocompartment hopper adapted to be disposed beneath a silage discharge spout, means mounting said hopper for oscillatory movement to enable said compartments to sequentially register with la spout, said hopper including an upper receiving opening and a pair of bottom discharge openings, a pair of doors pivotally secured to said hopper for closing said discharge openings and adapted to normally open and close by gravity as said hopper oscillates, means for alternately engaging said doors as said hopper oscillates for retaining said doors in the closed position thereof, a detlector in said hopper adjacent said upper opening comprising a pair of downwardly divergent plates, slots in said hopper extending downwardly from adjacent the apex of said deilector, a weight beneath said detiector having the ends thereof extending through said slots, and adjustable supporting means exteriorly of said hopper engaging said weight, whereby material entering said hopper will be deiiected by said dellector away from y said weight and whereby said weight may be supported a silage discharge spout, means mounting said hopper for oscillatory movement to enable said compartments to sequentially register with a spout, said hopper including an upper receiving opening and a pair of bottom discharge openings, a pair of doors pivotally secured to said hopper for closing said discharge openings and adapted to normally open and close by gravity as said hopper oscillates, means for alternately engaging said doors as said hopper oscillates for retaining said doors in the closed position thereof, a weight within said hopper, and adjustable supporting means exteriorly of said hopper for said weight whereby said weight may be supported in any of a plurality of positions to vary the weight of material discharged by said hopper at each oscillation thereof.

5. An automatic weigher for silage `comprising a twocompartment hopper adapted tobe disposed beneath a silage discharge spout, means mounting said hopper for oscillatory movement to enable said compartments to sequentially register with a spout, said hopper including an upper receiving opening and a pair of bottom discharge openings, a pair of doors pivotally secured to said hopper for closing said discharge openings and adapted to normally open and close by gravity as said hopper oscillates, means for alternately engaging said doors as said hopper oscillates for retaining said doors in the closed position thereof, means for adjusting the position at which said door engaging means releases said doors to permit the opening thereof, a weight within said hopper, and adjustable supporting means exteriorly of said hopper for said weight whereby said weight may be supported in any of a plurality of positions to vary the weight f material discharged by said hopper at each oscillation thereof.

6. In an automatic weigher for silage, a frame, a twocompartment hopper adapted to be disposed beneath a silage discharge spout, shafts extending from said hopper and supported by said frame for oscillatably supporting said hopper, said hopper including an upper receiving opening and a pair of bottom discharge openings, a pair of doors pivotally secured to said hopper for closing said discharge openings and adapted to normally open by gravity as said hopper oscillates, arcuate tracks on the undersides of said doors, supporting frame members pivotally secured about and diverging downwardly from said shafts and carrying a pair of axles, Wheel means carried by said axles and engageable with said tracks on said doors as said hopper oscillates, and means for adjusting the positions of said axles in an arc about said shafts comprising a sleeve about each of said axles, a rod secured to each of said sleeves, and means for securing said rods to said frame in any of a plurality of positions.

7. In an automatic weigher for silage, a frame, a twocompartment hopper adapted to be disposed beneath a silage discharge spout, shafts extending from said hopper and supported by said frame for oscillatably supporting said hopper, said hopper including an upper receiving opening, and a pair of bottom discharge openings, a pair of doors pivotally secured to said hopper for closing said discharge openings and adapted to nor- Inally open by gravity as said hopper oscillates, arcuate tracks on the underside of said doors, supporting frame members pivotally secured about and diverging downwardly from said shafts and carrying a pair of axles, wheel means carried by said axles and engageable with said tracks on said doors as said hopper oscillates, and means for adjusting the positions of said axles in an arc about said shafts comprising a sleeve about each of said axles, and means connected to each of said sleeves for retaining said sleeves and axles in any of a plurality of positions.

8. In an automatic weigher for silage, a frame, a twocompartment hopper adapted to be disposed beneath a silage discharge spout, shafts extending from said hopper and supported by said frame for oscillatably supporting said hopper, said hopper including an upper receiving opening, and a pair of bottom discharge openings, a pair of doors pivotally secured to said hopper for closing said discharge openings and adapted to normally open by gravity as said hopper oscillates, arcuate tracks on the undersides of said doors, supporting frame members pivotally secured about and diverging downwardly from said shafts and carrying a pair of axles, wheel means carried by said axles and engageable with said tracks on said doors as said hopper oscillates, and means for retaining said axle in any of a plurality of positions in an are about said shafts.

9. In an automatic weigher for silage, a frame, a twocompartment hopper adapted to be disposed beneath a silage drainage spout, means for oscillatably supporting said hopper on said frame, said hopper including an upper receiving opening, and a pair of bottom discharge openings, a pair of doors pivotally secured to said hopper for closing said discharge openings and adapted to normally open by gravity as said hopper oscillates, arcuate tracks on the undersides of said doors, a pair of axles, wheel means carried by said axles and engageable with said tracks on said doors as said hopper oscillates, means for securing said axles in any of a plurality of door releasing positions, whereby the weight of material discharged by said weigher may be adjusted, and weight means in said hopper adjustable exteriorly of said hopper for supporting said weight in any of a plurality of positions.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 650,593 Schuman May 29, 1900 

